1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ophthalmological apparatus for use in ophthalmic hospitals and the like, such as a noncontact tonometer for spraying air from a nozzle against a cornea to detect its deformation, thereby obtaining the intraocular pressure, of the eye or a composite ophthalmic apparatus obtained by combining the noncontact tonometer with another eye examining apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, composite ophthalmic apparatuses obtained by combining an air spraying type noncontact tonometer with, e.g., an eye refractometer, an eye fundus camera, or a slit lamp, have been proposed.
In these conventional apparatuses, however, a moving part for switching the individual eye examining apparatuses is enlarged and complicated in structure. In addition, these composite apparatuses are not necessarily preferable in their functions and operabilities. In particular, since the air spraying direction in these apparatuses is in agreement with the direction of the visual axis of an eye to be examined, it is difficult to combine the tonometer with another optical instrument or to reduce the dimensions of the entire apparatus. Furthermore, if an anterior eye observation device for aligning an eye to be examined with the composite apparatus is to be incorporated in the apparatus, there is the possibility that the apparatus is further complicated in structure.